BAY VIEW -- Across the country, people on Monday, Jan. 22 remembered Captain Lance Sijan on the 50th anniversary of the Bay View native and Air Force pilot's death. He lost his life in a prisoner of war camp during the Vietnam War.

In 1967, a bomb carried by Captain Sijan's F-4 Phantom jet prematurely exploded and Sijan crash landed in North Vietnam. He evaded capture for more than six weeks before he was captured, and while the end of his life is tragic, his story of perseverance lives on.

The passing of time can both hurt and help, but it can also allow a story to fade. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Hollman isn't about to let that happen.

"He's our Milwaukee boy, so the story should be very important to us. A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him," Hollman said.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Hollman

On the 50th anniversary of Captain Sijan's death, Hollman worked to keep his story alive.

"His plane went down in November and of course, he evaded capture for 46 days, so even though his body was emaciated and he could hardly move, he evaded being captured for 46 days," Hollman said.